How To Retrieve Domain Whois History Data After Redaction
WHOIS information is indispensable for any cybersecurity researcher. It is an essential resource for tracking down registration owners for a variety of reasons that range from settling trademark and cybersquatting disputes to configuring websites. With WHOIS records, a security analyst or website administrator can quickly get in touch with a registrant owner to resolve or file a dispute, transfer a domain with ease, or set up a valid Secure Sockets Layer certificate.
With the General Data Protection Regulation implementation, however, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers was compelled to modify its policies for WHOIS data availability. ICANNs implementation of the Temporary Specification for Generic Top-Level Domain Registration Data in 2018 resulted in the redaction of millions of WHOIS records from the public domain.
Under the new rule, both registrars and registries must explicitly state that a domains ownership details have been Redacted for Privacy, unless, of course, the domain owner consents to share his or her registrant information publicly. This policy applies to all data accessible via WHOIS or Registration Data Access Protocol protocols.
How To Find A Domain Name Owner
Are you trying to learn how to find a domain name owner, but dont know where to start? If you want to find the owner of a domain name, its essential to first understand the meaning of a domain name.
Its helpful to think of the relationship between a domain name and a website in the same way you think of your home address. When you look up a website, you enter the domain name so that you can be delivered to a specific website. In order to find a single website, you need an exact domain name.
Domain.com has over 300 domain extensions to choose from to help set your website apart from the rest. It all starts with a great domain.
Who Is The Domain Owner
Domain names are owned by whoever first registered the web address with an accredited registrar, such as Domain.com. In order for that person to maintain ownership, they have to pay registration fees and ensure that all of their contact details are up to date.
Once a person has legally registered for a domain name, and has given all of the relevant personal information to an accredited registrar, that individual owns the rights to that web address. They are in sole possession of that web address and have the right to sell it at any time. The owner can transfer domain name ownership to a new user if they care to do so.
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Reasons People Use The Directory
When your contact information is widely available on the web, it inevitably gets into the hands a few types of people:
- Those looking to buy your domain name. If you want a domain name thats not available, the WHOIS database is one of the first places to do a domain lookup to try to find the person who owns the domain. This is a pretty harmless use of the directory. Even if youre not interested in selling your domain name, its not that obnoxious to hear from people asking.
- Those looking to sell you something. Individuals and businesses that sell various online services often play a numbers game when cold contacting possible prospects. When they can find your information in the directory, they know you have a website and may potentially want what they offer. With the info available in WHOIS, they can call, text, and email. Even if their offers are legitimate, getting a barrage of contact from service providers is something most people wouldnt welcome.
- Those looking to scam you. Scammers require a way to contact you before they can convince you to wire over that money you dont actually owe or provide your credit card information for the product theyll never send. The WHOIS directory is as good a place as any for them to find that information. And its easy to scrape for information, so they can get a lot of contact info all at once without much effort.
How To Get Domain Name Privacy With Hostgator
If youre ready to add one more level of privacy to your life and website, then investing in domain privacy is pretty simple. Check with your web hosting company to see if they offer it as an add-on service.
If you use HostGator, all you have to do is use launchpad to enable WHOIS privacy. Follow the instructions below:
- Log into your Customer Portal.
- Look for the word Privacy. Youll see a red X next to it, indicating you havent bought it yet. Click on the word Change next to the X.
Youll probably still get the occasional spam phone calls or emailswe all dobut by investing in domain name privacy, you wont get as many and youll keep you private information safe from strangers.
For more information on how to manage domains or transfer domain names, please contact HostGator today.
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Why Find Out Who Owns A Domain Name
Before you start on your mission to find owners of domain names, lets answer a question or two. Lets also find out more about the body behind domain name registration.
Our initial questions are:
- Why do you need to find out who the owner is?
- What do you hope to get from finding out who they are?
Surprisingly, knowing who owns a domain or website can be very beneficial. For example, people often sell domains, and you may wish to buy one that you come across. By finding out who the owner is, you will be in a position of being able to contact them to inquire if its for sale.
Many of our clients have a brand name in mind or are already established as a business and therefore want the website that matches their brand name. In some cases, its possible to buy a domain name from the owner, especially if its recently been registered.
How Is Whois Changing
In light of the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, coming into force within the European Union in May 2018, many Registries and Registrars that operate within that region, or globally, are required to gain Registrant’s consent before disclosing Personally Identifiable Information to any third parties or the public. As a result of the implementation of the GDRP, much of the data historically found within WHOIS will no longer be included or be redacted. The absence of this information has a trickle-down effect throughout the domain industry, affecting WHOIS data output for domain names and Registrants that do not have an immediate or obvious nexus to the European Union
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It Means Less Transparency
When potential customers want to confirm the legitimacy of your business, the ability to confirm who you are and where youre located tells them youre real. Most customers arent going straight to the WHOIS directory for that information, and you can probably provide good information on your website and in your marketing to demonstrate your legitimacy. But allowing the directory to publish your information is one more way to exhibit transparency to your customers.
For most businesses, the benefits of domain name privacy will outweigh the downsides, but there may be some cases where keeping your information public in the directory is worth it.
Who Legally Owns A Domain
Searching for a domains owner can turn up multiple names provided as contacts for functions such as technical support, administration, and billing. But, the legal owner of a website is the registrantthe person or entity in whose name the domain has been registered with a dedicated domain registrar or hosting provider. As long as registration fees are kept up to date, that owner retains full rights to the domain and has sole control over selling it at any time, whether or not the domain is nearing expiration.
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One: Visit The Website
In cases where the owner bought the domain as an investment, theyll make it easy for you to contact them. So start by pulling up the website to see what shows up.
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They may say outright that the domain is for sale, and include contact information or a form you can fill out. Or in some cases where the domain is in active use, youll be able to find contact information on the websites Contact or About page.
If youre lucky enough that this step does the trick and you find the domain owner, you can skip the next two steps.
Should I Buy Domain Privacy
You may find that some domain registrars charge for domain privacy protection. Here, customers will find that our domain privacy service is free for life as we believe in going that extra mile and making sure that our customers are protected.
We want our customers to know exactly what will or will not happen with their personal information and strongly believe in upholding privacy standards.
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General Data Protection Regulation
This data protection act was first introduced in 2018 and its very strict laws have ever since been applied by all countries of the EU and European Economic Area . In cases of data breaches, there have been experienced heavy fines for the company affected.
The regulations put in place by GRPD have helped the personal data of citizens of the EU to be kept secure. Its main idea is to allow citizens to have control over their personal data.
How Can I Hide My Remaining Public Contact Details From The Whois Database
For Canadians with a .CA domain name, the?Canadian Internet Registration Authority ?automatically provides domain privacy be default. However, non .CA domain names will need to purchase an additional service called a Domain Privacy service. Once purchased, all Registrant information on the WHOIS database is replaced by proxy contact information. In most cases, this information belongs to the operating registrar such as Webnames.ca.
While the details list a registrar or proxy contact information, the true owner of a domain name is still the original registrant.
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What Is A Whois Domain Lookup
A Whois domain lookup allows you to trace the ownership and tenure of a domain name. Similar to how all houses are registered with a governing authority, all domain name registries maintain a record of information about every domain name purchased through them, along with who owns it, and the date till which it has been purchased.
What Is The Process To Lookup Domain Name Details
The domain name registration process has been engineered in a very transparent way. Everybody has an open access to obtain information about domain name registrant and the ownership of a domain by just clicking on certain informative links. It also helps in keeping a track of domain name expiry dates and the start date of registration.
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Check The Whois Record
In many cases, a domain name registrant’s email address may still be available in a whois record. That’s because the GDPR does not require deletion of all contact information from all domain name registrations — and also because not all registrars are interpreting and applying the GDPR in the same manner. So, start by performing a proper whois search, and you just might find what you need, despite the GDPR.
Why Pay For It
Privacy protection hides personal contact information from complete strangers. This is pretty straightforward and is one of the most common reasons domain owners opt for privacy protection. Almost anyone has the ability to access the internet, meaning almost anyone could potentially have access to your mailing address, phone number, and email address. Particularly if a website includes debatable or hotly contested topics, it can even be a safe move to make personal contact details difficult to obtain to avoid unfortunate mail or contacts.
It hides personal contact information from spammers and con artists. There are many organizations around that search, compile, and reach out to domain owners when their domains are expiring with renewal services that actually do nothing to renew the domain, or transfers it almost unknowingly, and can cost the owner hundreds of dollars for bogus services. Be wary of any items received in the mail regarding your domain, and always contact your current registrar before responding to such solicitations.
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Keep Your Domain Registration Contact Details Private
The WHOIS lookup tool will display the contact details associated with your domain by default anyone can see them. But there is a loophole. Domain Privacy hides these details from public view, keeping your personal details private. Remain anonymous to strangers using the WHOIS directory and protect your identity with our Domain Privacy service.
How To Find Out Who Actually Owns A Domain Name
Last updated on June 2nd, 2021 by Editorial Staff | Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us.
Do you want to find out who actually owns a domain name?
Looking up who owns a domain can help you find the owners contact information, so you can purchase the domain name.
In this article, well show you how you can find out who actually owns a domain name, step by step.
Why Find Out Who Owns a Domain Name?
Finding out who owns a domain name can tell you valuable information about the domain name owner.
Usually, this information will include an email address and other contact information, so you can get in touch to purchase the domain name.
It also shows you useful domain name information, like the last time it was registered, how many owners the domain has had, and more.
If you find that multiple people have owned a specific domain name, then this increases chances of the domain being used for spam.
When youre creating a WordPress website, one of the biggest decisions youll make is choosing the perfect business name and matching domain.
If youve found a great domain, but its already registered, then youll want to reach out to the owner to see if theyre willing to sell it to you.
Method 1: Search for a Domain With Domain.com WHOIS Lookup Tool
Then, the tool will display the available WHOIS results.
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